It is very common in today's society for consumers to obtain beverages, such as coffee, tea, a soft drink, milk or juice, from fast food restaurants and convenience stores in relatively large quantities. These beverages are placed into large cups and are generally not consumed entirely in a single sitting. Rather, it is common for such beverages to be consumed over a duration of time. Often, such beverages are obtained while traveling and will be consumed in a car. Thus, it is desirable these beverages to be covered for a number of reasons, including preventing spillage.
Cups and cuplike containers beverages are often provided with lids to cover the contents before and during use. Such lids normally snap over the open end of the cup and are disposable after use. Consumers often prefer to access the contents within the cup with minimal disruption to the lid. Therefore, such lids often include openable access closures. Such access closures often include a perforated tab near the peripheral region of the lid that may be hinged back or removed entirely to provide access to the contents within the container. Such lids require that the apron of the lid, which defines its periphery, be torn back to reveal the opening. Once the periphery of the lid is broken, its engagement to the cup is much less secure. Additionally, once torn away and folded back, such tabs generally do not adequately seal the opening in order to prevent spillage when the cup is incidentally tipped or jarred.
It is also desirable for the user to have intermittent access to the beverage, which can involve the opening and closing of the lid or a portion thereof. Because the quantity of beverage may be consumed over a duration of time, it is further desirable to have a re-closable lid having a closure mechanism that will not become detached therefrom and misplaced while a part of the beverage remains in the container.
Thus, a need exists for a lid having a closure member that may be opened without requiring the lid's periphery to be broken. A need also exists for a lid and closure member assembly adapted for providing convenient access to the contents within the cup. Finally, a need exists for a lid having a closure member attached thereto such that the closure member will not become removed or misplaced over a period of time.